Highland Park council extends moratorium on rental-enforcement for 120 days

The Highland Park City Council voted Monday to extend a moratorium on enforcement of the city's non-owner-occupied rental ordinance for at least 120 days and to require at least four workshops, with the McKenna Group in attendance, before the council resumes enforcement.

Councilman Eschaffi moved to approve the resolution; Council Pro Tem Robinson offered support. The roll call on the final resolution was: Councilman Eschaffi, yes; Councilwoman Martin, yes; Councilwoman Manuka, no; Council Pro Tem Robinson, yes; Council President Thomas, no. The motion carried.

The resolution submitted by Councilwoman Martin and read into the record during the meeting said the council previously voted a moratorium on enforcement on May 19, 2025, and described questions submitted to the McKenna Group that the council said received "inadequate or untimely" responses. The text before the council asked that enforcement remain paused for at least 120 days, and that the council hold no fewer than four workshop agenda items dedicated to review with the McKenna Group present.

Supporters argued the extension was needed because, they said, the city had not fully reviewed the ordinance and that enforcement as written risked "sudden and undue burden" on Highland Park residents, particularly ahead of the fall and winter months. Opponents, including Councilwoman Manuka, objected to aspects of the ordinance itself and to approving extensions without first narrowing the ordinance's scope and clarifying timelines and procedures for inspections.

Council members also debated whether changes made between the ordinance's first and second readings needed to be read aloud for the public record; staff said changes had been incorporated and published and that practice varies by municipality. Legal and administrative staff participated in portions of the discussion and answered procedural questions about readings and publication.

The council majority approved the extension; the resolution directs staff to schedule the four workshops and to invite the McKenna Group to attend. The resolution does not itself change enforcement policy beyond extending the moratorium; any substantive changes to the ordinance would require further council action.

The motion to add the resolution to the evening's agenda was made earlier in the meeting by Councilwoman Martin and supported by Councilman Eschaffi before the council approved the agenda amendment and later voted on the resolution in council affairs.

The council meeting record indicates the moratorium extension vote and directs staff to return with workshop dates and any materials necessary for the review process.